Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Late autumn, gradually turning to early winter. Time slipped by quietly, and a slight chill permeated the air. Ma Chao and his men had already spent the better part of half a year in Tianshui County. By now, the Tianshui County guards and Ma Chao's troops had reached a state of familiarity. Essentially, they no longer held any wariness against Ma Chao and his men.

Ma Chao hadn't ordered an attack, consistently following Li Ru's strategy of attacking the enemy's heart. This had fostered a close rapport between the two sides, to the point where soldiers were secretly meeting back and forth. Ma Chao had turned a blind eye to this. By now, everyone in Tianshui County knew Ma Chao's intentions. This move undoubtedly provided the Xiliang defenders of Tianshui County with a retreat.

Ma Chao had also promised that if they wished to continue serving in the army, he would grant them official military status, freeing them from the accusation of rebellion and placing them under his command. If they no longer wished to fight for their country, they could return to Xiliang, where they would be treated as Xiliang soldiers, given land, forgiven for past offenses, and helped find their families. Although the Tianshui County defenders had long since lost all desire to resist, Ma Chao did not force an attack.

Meanwhile, Dong Huang was still harboring thoughts of confronting Ma Chao. His soldiers, unable to articulate their intentions, had been anxiously awaiting their opportunity. In reality, Dong Huang had been deeply concerned. He was well aware of the soldiers' current state. Ma Chao's move was a clear and blatant conspiracy.

Although Jiang Jiong and Jiang Xu were both quite intelligent, they didn't offer any particularly good suggestions. This wasn't simply a matter of killing one or two disaffected soldiers. The entire military camp, the entire Tianshui County garrison, shared this sentiment, and they didn't have a good solution. Zhao Gang and the others, originally from the Western Liang Dynasty and directly under the command of the Western Liang Dynasty, also tried to persuade Dong Huang. Dong Huang's resolve was no longer as resolute. After all, a soldier is the courage of a general, and a general is the soul of his soldiers. His soldiers and generals had all lost their fighting spirit, leaving him alone. Even if he wanted to break out, he had no way out. Furthermore, Tianshui County was surrounded on all sides. He was now like a trapped beast, mired in deep distress.

Ma Chao had been patiently waiting for the right opportunity. Now, he had already gathered the Dong clan members in his military tent. Just then, the emperor's edict arrived. While it didn't explicitly demand Ma Chao immediately capture Tianshui County, the message's intent was clear. It stated that Yuan Shao of Jizhou had been defeated in his invasion of Youzhou, and that the conflict between Jizhou and Youzhou had subsided. It also inquired about the progress of Ma Chao's own campaign. While the words contained no accusations, any discerning eye could see that they were meant to embarrass Ma Chao.

Ma Chao immediately summoned his generals to discuss the matter. Xu Shu spoke first, "My lord, now that the fighting between Jizhou and Youzhou has ended, the emperor's question suggests he has high hopes for our progress. In this cold weather, if we continue, the cost will be even greater. In my opinion, the time may have come." Xu Rong nodded in agreement, "Indeed, my lord. Our army has spent considerable time in Tianshui County, and now is the time to make a decision." Zhang Liao continued, "My lord, we have been holding our troops inactive. While there was a strategy involved, this is not a long-term solution. We should definitely consider our next move."

Ma Chao pondered for a moment and said, "Since that's the case, let's follow our previous plan. We'll deploy our troops tomorrow, and have the Dong clan members go to the city walls to talk to Dong Huang first. We should also have our soldiers deliver a message to the Xiliang garrison commanders in Tianshui County to reassure them." His generals burst into laughter. Xu Huang remarked, "General, given the current situation, this battle is easier than ever." Everyone nodded in agreement. Then, the generals went back to deploy their troops.

Since Ma Chao had been in command of the army for a long time, and now resided at court instead of in Western Liang, his officers and men had long since changed their address to "Lord" rather than "General." However, only the honest and straightforward Xu Huang continued to address him as "General." Ma Chao, however, was unconcerned, regarding it as merely a title. After all, his father, Ma Teng, was still nominally the ruler of Western Liang. Although Ma Teng repeatedly stated that military affairs and campaigns were entirely Ma Chao's decision and that he was merely willing to be Ma Chao's steward, Ma Chao could not fail to respect his father. He knew full well that his father, Ma Teng, had devoted his entire life to Western Liang, and even though he had assumed command of the army for a time, his respect for his father had never diminished. In this volatile situation, Ma Chao understood that his family's unity and respect were his unwavering support. He had to demonstrate exceptional leadership on the battlefield while maintaining humility and respect within his family to safeguard Western Liang's stability and development.

The next day, as if by some mysterious agreement, both the besiegers and defenders took up their positions, their battle lines in awe. This tense situation filled Dong Huang with a wave of worry. He had long since learned of Ma Chao's intentions from his fellow soldiers, and now, anxiously awaiting a clear decision or explanation from Ma Chao, he desperately wanted to know what exactly Ma Chao was planning.

After deploying his troops, Ma Chao calmly led Dong Bai, Xu Rong, Hua Xiong, and other former Xiliang generals to the gate tower of Tianshui County. They halted steadily at the gate. Ma Chao's face showed no sign of nervousness, his eyes revealing a calm and confident expression. The soldiers on the wall, upon seeing Ma Chao and his companions, made no move to attack. Instead, their gazes were filled with excitement and admiration, as if they were witnessing their own highly respected general.

Ma Chao calmly surveyed the crowd on the tower, his lips even curled up slightly in a faint smile. He declared, "Men, go and invite General Dong Huang to speak with me." The soldiers guarding the city listened to Ma Chao's words with respectful expressions, even politely bowing their hands in agreement. They then ran, heads held high, to report to Dong Huang. Although Dong Huang was somewhat displeased with the soldiers' actions, he was unwilling to argue with them over such a trivial matter. With a sigh of resignation, he donned his helmet and armor and led his men to the tower. Dong Huang stood on the city wall, glaring at Ma Chao and shouted, "Ma'er, you received a lot of kindness from your uncle when you were in Xiliang, but now you don't think about repaying him. Instead, you defect to the court and come to attack my uncle's old subordinates. If you want to fight, then fight. You have been besieging us for half a year in vain. Today you still have the nerve to talk to me. You are so shameless." Although Dong Huang knew that the current situation was extremely unfavorable to him, he couldn't help but feel angry when he saw Ma Chao.

Ma Chao didn't care at all. He bowed calmly and said, "General Dong Huang, from Bai'er's perspective, I should call you uncle. Bai'er is also by my side. It's very strange for you to say that." Dong Bai also spoke softly at this time, "Uncle, grandfather is gone. You are one of the few relatives Bai'er has in the world. If we continue fighting like this, we will only make outsiders laugh at us. Grandfather's spirit in heaven would never want to see such a scene." Dong Bai's eyes revealed deep sadness and expectation. She longed for this fight to end soon.

Dong Huang felt a pang of pain in his heart when he saw the sad and expectant look in Dong Bai's eyes in the army formation below.

Dong Bai's father died young, and she was raised by Dong Zhuo from a young age. As Dong Zhuo's legitimate nephew, Dong Huang always felt pity and love for his niece. However, a dispute with Ma Chao over military power later caused them to part ways.

Looking at Dong Bai's current state, Dong Huang slowly said, "Bai'er, don't worry about this. Whether dead or alive, your uncle doesn't blame you. You've done well, and your grandfather would be comforted to see you. But now Ma Chao has returned to the imperial court, and we have been labeled traitors. If we let this go, I will die, but your grandfather will bear the infamy for the rest of his life, and our Xiliang Dong family will never be able to hold their heads high."

This was also a major consideration in Dong Huang's mind. On the one hand, it was for power, and on the other hand, it was because of this family honor that Dong Huang chose to oppose Ma Chao and continue the war against the court. Dong Huang's words were full of helplessness and determination. He knew that his current situation was difficult, but for the sake of his family's honor, he had to persevere. However, he also understood that continuing this fight might bring even more serious consequences, but he had no way out and could only continue on this difficult road.

Ma Chao then said, "General Dong Huang, don't worry. As long as I, Ma Chao, remain at court, the Xiliang Dong clan will continue to prosper and will never decline. As for Lord Dong's reputation, I will explain it to the court in the future. Merits are merits, faults are faults. Lord Dong's life was a mixed bag, and he will certainly not bear a name that will be infamous for eternity."

Dong Huang, however, sneered, "Ma Chao, if you want to attack, then attack. Don't be so fussy. What you say is just one side of the story. What do I, Dong Huang, have to fear? Even if I die in battle today, what does it matter? Why be so fussy?"

Ma Chao was unwilling to explain further at this point and said, "General Dong Huang, I have invited the Dong clan members to the battlefield. You can ask them if you have any questions. Have the Dong clan lost its former prestige in Longxi and Xiliang? Are there any signs of decline? Moreover, I will definitely marry Bai'er. As long as I, Ma Chao, am here, the Dong clan will continue to enjoy its former glory and splendor."

Dong Huang's heart was agitated when he heard this. After all, he had been away from home for a long time, and hadn't seen his relatives and elders in Longxi for a long time. A look of inquiry flashed in his eyes.